Online marketplace for real estate transactions

ABSTRACT

Under an embodiment of the invention, a web site system maintains a real estate web page. The web page has an aerial image map of a geographic region that can be navigated by a user. The web site system facilitates online collaboration for real estate transactions. When the user registers, the system creates a user account for real estate information. Real estate agents and/or other real estate service providers selected by the user are granted shared access to the user&#39;s account by the web site system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/580,046, filed Jun. 16, 2004, and U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 60/649,459, filed Feb. 1, 2005, which areincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to methods and systems forcomputerized management of real estate transactions and, moreparticularly, relates to real estate transactions via the Internet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The real estate market is characterized by numerous inefficiencies thatcreate problems for consumers, agents, and vendors.

Consumers suffer from a lack of real estate information and tools.Although many real estate brokerages provide visibility into propertylisting information on their web sites, these tools remain surprisinglypoor. Overall, brokerages and other online real estate companies haveintroduced online technology that perpetuates the agent's role as aninformation source, rather than embracing the reality that the agent'srole is shifting to that of information interpreter, with a valueproposition more oriented around experience, knowledge, and wisdom.

Residential real estate agents also suffer from numerous problems atpresent. First among these is competition for consumers. Highcommissions and low barriers to entry have caused the agent ranks togrow far more quickly than transaction volume, intensifying competition.Second, agents have a very difficult time marketing themselves.Brokerages typically do not promote one agent over another and thusexpect agents to market themselves individually. This is costly andinefficient. Lastly, agents suffer from a lack of collaborative tools.

To stay competitive, agents increasingly turn to third-party leadsources. Several companies have met this demand by capturing customerinformation online and reselling it as “leads” to interested agents.Agents encounter several problems during this process. First, the leadsmay be very poorly qualified. Depending on how the lead seller inducescustomers to provide their contact information, the “leads” may comprisepeople that simply are curious to know the value of their house, forexample. Second, the agent must expend significant time and effort tomove the leads through a sales process. Third, leads purchasing isgenerally costly.

Vendors, or real estate service providers, can include mortgage lenders,appraisers, inspectors, title companies, escrow companies, insurers,contractors, moving companies, and other providers whose services relateto property transactions. Because each of their services is typicallydemanded in a property transaction, these vendors derive considerablebusiness from informal professional networks. At present there is nomechanism that allows consumers to evaluate the value of a given networkor to perceive it as an entity that has intrinsic value. It is verydifficult, for instance, for an agent to market his or her “team” oflinked professionals, and to derive additional business from thestrength of the team.

There is a need for a system that overcomes limitations of the currentreal estate system, as well as providing additional benefits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A brief summary of some embodiments and aspects of the invention arefirst presented. Some simplifications and omissions may be made in thefollowing summary; the summary is intended to highlight and introducesome aspects of the disclosed embodiments, but not to limit the scope ofthe invention. Thereafter, a detailed description of illustratedembodiments is presented, which will permit one skilled in the relevantart to make and use aspects of the invention. One skilled in therelevant art can obtain a full appreciation of aspects of the inventionfrom the subsequent detailed description, read together with theFigures, and from the claims (which follow the detailed description).

Under an embodiment of the invention, a web site system maintains a realestate web page. The web page having an aerial image map of a geographicregion that can be navigated by a user. The web site system facilitatesonline collaboration for real estate transactions. When the userregisters, the system creates an account for his real estateinformation. The account can include various folders for storinginformation about properties in which the user is interested. The usercan also specify a real estate agent and/or other real estate serviceproviders who should be permitted access to the user's account.

Under another embodiment of the invention, a web site system aids realestate transactions by maintaining a web site system that facilitatesselection of a geographic region from a satellite image map. Users ofthe system can select data overlays to overlay on the satellite imagemap. The data overlays have geospatial information, such as tax parcelinformation, corresponding to the selected geographic region. Users ofthe system can select a real estate property from those shown in theselected data overlay. Users can then initiate a real estatetransaction, such as a purchase, of the selected real estate property.The web site system stores information associated with the real estatetransaction. The user can associate certain third parties such as realestate agents, home inspectors, and lenders with the account, therebygranting them shared access to the information and tools in the account.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of thisinvention will become more readily appreciated as the same become betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description, whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a system according to one embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a computer systemsuitable for use with the disclosed inventions.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a web site suitable for use withembodiments of the disclosed inventions.

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of user management associated with the website of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a user login process.

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of search and analytical tools according tovarious embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a consumer processflow.

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a real estate agentprocess flow.

FIG. 9 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a non-agent vendorprocess flow.

FIG. 10 shows a web page having a high-elevation view of an image of ageographic area.

FIG. 11 shows a search result overlay on the image of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 shows a region on the webpage having detailed information for aproperty selected from the search results of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a representative sales history for the selected property.

FIG. 14 shows an overlay on the image of FIG. 10 of historical salesnear the selected property.

FIG. 15 illustrates an overlay that superimposes all tax parcels on theimage of FIG. 10.

The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do notnecessarily affect the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.

In the drawings, the same reference numbers and acronyms identifyelements or acts with the same or similar functionality for ease ofunderstanding and convenience. To easily identify the discussion of anyparticular element or act, the most significant digit or digits in areference number refer to the Figure number in which that element isfirst introduced (e.g., element 110 is first introduced and discussedwith respect to FIG. 1).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description provides specific details for a thoroughunderstanding of, and enabling description for, these embodiments of theinvention. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand that the invention may be practiced with many variations andthese details do not list every possible variation. In some instances,well known structures and functions have not been shown or described indetail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of theembodiments of the invention.

In some embodiments of the invention, a web site implemented in acomputer system allows users to navigate an aerial image of a geographicregion and search for real estate within the region. Among its many usesdescribed herein, embodiments of the web site system provide a forum forcollaborative real estate transaction teams, for searching for realestate, for searching for real estate service providers, and foranalyzing real estate data and trends. In some embodiments, the systemdisplays information on the web page but other delivery methods can beused (such as email).

Embodiments of the invention described herein comprise an online openmarketplace for real estate and related services. Embodiments of themarketplace provide improved information and tools, ways for agents andconsumers to connect, and mechanisms that allows vendors to harness thepower of their networks. Lastly, the marketplace provides the abilityfor direct property transactions among members.

Embodiments of the invention include numerous innovative informational,analytical, and collaborative tools. One such toolset is a GIS-based(Geographic Information System) real estate platform that integrates abroad array of disparate data sets related to the real estatetransaction process. These data sets include property listing data frome.g., one or more multiple listing services (MLS); property data fromnon-MLS sources such as newspapers or other online listing repositories;aerial and satellite imagery; street maps; geographic representations ofparks, schools, neighborhoods, bus lines, restaurants, shops, and othersimilar data elements; geographic representations of property parcels;non-geographic information pertinent to geographic data (parkdescriptions, school information, neighborhood census data, etc.); taxassessor data; census data; and links to related data from othersources.

The GIS tool provides a comprehensive, graphical means by whichconsumers, agents and others can rapidly evaluate properties for sale,view historical transactions, and evaluate a broad array of data relatedto property transactions. Further analytical tools allow users to querythe data sources to find property data (e.g., all data on propertiesthat have sold in a given area over a given time period, all propertiesmeeting certain other arbitrary criteria, etc.). Additional toolsprovide information about broader market trends, from neighborhood andcommunity sales to nationally aggregated data.

In addition to these tools, some embodiments of the marketplace provideusers with valuable data that is aggregated from system user trends.Thus property sellers can for example see how many system users haveviewed their property details, how many have indicated an interest inthe property, and so on. On an individual level, this “backend” data canalso be used for targeted advertising. For example, if a visitor to themarketplace is viewing a 1920's era home, the web site system might showan advertisement for a hardware store because an older home is likely toneed repairs. Similarly, the web site system might show an advertisementfor a furniture store that specializes in furniture from a styleappropriate to the house's period, such as Arts & Crafts, or Art Deco.

Some embodiments of the marketplace further provide a mechanism wherebyusers may pay to promote services or products to other users within themarketplace. For example, an agent may pay an advertising fee to elevatethe visibility of that agent within the result set of a given agentsearch. A property seller may pay a fee to elevate the visibility of agiven property within the result set of a given property search.

Some embodiments of the marketplace also provide users with an opencommunity that enables consumers and agents to share their experiences,exchange information, and harness the shared knowledge of the communitymembers.

In some embodiments, the marketplace includes mechanisms forcollaboration between various users of the system. Shared access toselect user account information and a messaging system allow consumersto share their. “favorites” folder with their agents, and for the agentto place properties in the consumers “suggested” folder and to appendcomments that will be visible to the consumer. Additional messagingtools allow agents, consumers and other parties to communicate abouttransaction-related events and to centrally log account activity so thatthe parties are informed of critical events quickly and efficiently.Additionally, consumers can provide family and friends with access totheir account so that family members can suggest or comment onproperties during the purchase process.

Some embodiments of the invention provide an open marketplace frameworkfor connecting real estate agents and consumers. The marketplaceprovides an innovative mechanism for consumers to select, contact, andnegotiate with real estate agents.

One embodiment of the marketplace provides a “gallery” of member agents.Consumers may query this gallery to view agents and sort by categoriessuch as experience, consumer ratings, areas served, specialization,number of transactions completed, languages spoken, and terms ofbusiness. Consumers may query the list directly or may set up a profileand use the system's matching technology to automatically select asuitable subset of agents.

Another embodiment of the marketplace provides for several mechanisms bywhich consumers can solicit business from agents. Consumers may contactagents directly through a messaging interface that preserves consumeranonymity. Consumers may also publish a profile into the network thatdescribes themselves, the properties or types of properties they wish tobuy or sell, the services they are seeking, the terms under which theywould like to conduct business, and any other information that may berelevant to a real estate professional. Consumers may then allowthemselves to be contacted by any agents matching their profile.Finally, consumers may publish a message into the network indicatingtheir desire to be contacted by any agent that can accommodate aparticular request such as conducting a tour of a given home at aparticular time.

A further embodiment of the marketplace offers several ways forconsumers to negotiate the price of real estate services. Thisnegotiation may be implicit in the agent selection process, if forinstance the consumer only searches for agents matching a particularcompensation profile. Alternatively, consumers may wish to solicitcompetitive bids from a number of agents in a manner similar to thatused for other home contractors. Finally, the consumer may wish tocreate an auction-style bidding process, in which agents compete to winthe consumer's business. This auction could take several forms: theconsumer could invite the agents to participate; they could allow anyagents matching their profile to participate; or they could allow anymember agent to participate.

This framework for selecting, contacting, and negotiating with an agentprovides consumers with good visibility into agent quality, acompetitive price for agent services, and flexibility in selecting agentcompensation structures. For agents, the system offers reduced sales andmarketing costs, an effective way to differentiate themselves asindividuals, and a source of customers.

Various embodiments facilitate networking by real estate serviceproviders such as agents and vendors. Real estate agents and vendors(lenders, escrow, inspectors, etc.) can harness the power of theirinformal business networks online. Agents and vendors can publish theirprofiles into the network such that they can be queried, viewed, etc.Vendors can then form associations within the system to indicate theirpartner providers, such that consumers can assess a given provider basedon the strength of the overall network in addition to other factors.

In some embodiments, the marketplace provides a mechanism wherebyproperty transactions may occur directly between consumers. In thisframework, consumers employ the informational and analytical tools ofthe system to view homes, assess fair market value, etc. Consumers maythen contact one another directly using a similar anonymous messagingsystem, such that bids and other information may be exchanged directlyamong consumers.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 describe a Web Site System 100 that allows one or moreusers, each operating a User System 102, to submit, request, and viewdata over a wide are network (WAN) such as the Internet 101. TheInternet is a combination of (public and/or private) networks that arelinked by standard communication protocols such as TCP/IP and HTTP. TheWeb Site System and User system interact via a client-serverrelationship wherein a program on the. User System or Client Software116 “client” makes a request to a Web Site System operating as a“server”. The client waits for a response and then processes theresponse to display information. The client can be a standard webbrowser such as Netscape Explorer or Microsoft's Internet Explorer,including browser plug-ins such as Macromedia Flash, or specializedclient software downloaded from the server.

The Web Site System 100 is composed of Server Applications and Data 103and one or more WSS Computing Systems 114. Components of theApplications and Data 103 may be distributed across multiple ComputingSystems 114.

The User System 102 is composed of Local Applications and Data 115 and aUser Computing System 119. Computing systems may be a traditionaldesktop computer or mobile device such as portable computer, personaldigital assistant (PDA), mobile phone, or the like.

The Computing Systems 114 and 119 may comprise: a Central ProcessingUnit “CPU” 201 for executing commands; an optional Display 202 forconveying visual information to a user; Memory 203 for temporarilyholding information and instructions; optional Input Devices 204 whichcan include a keyboard, mouse, microphone or other apparatus forentering instructions or data; Storage Memory 205 which storesinformation and software applications; a Network Adapter 206 forcommunicating over the Internet, local area network, or other network;an Operating System 207 for coordinating between the various componentsand software applications; and various Hardware Drivers 208 that allowthe operating system to communicate with physical elements of theComputing Systems 114 and 119.

The Data Set 104 includes information that provides functionality tousers of the Web Site System 100. Various embodiments of the Data Set104 include combinations of property addresses, historical propertytransactions, tax assessor records, other government data sources,listings of properties for sale including photos and multimedia,satellite photography and other raster-based data sets, parcel outlinesand other vector-based data, neighborhood boundaries and names, zipcodes, parks, schools, roads, businesses, and relevant geographiccoordinates associated with the various data elements. The data set alsoincludes non-geographic data that describes or relates to othergeographic data elements, such as school information, neighborhoodprofiles, etc. In addition to these data elements, the web site systemmay include hyperlinks to various Internet-based sources of information.Some embodiments of the system can overlay data from the Data Set 104 asoverlay layers (e.g., tax parcel boundaries, parks, schools, etc.) on abase layer (e.g., a satellite image, aerial photo, etc.).

The Data Set 104 also contains user-specific information. This includesinformation entered by users via User Management 106, described below;system-generated user data; and data generated by system users aboutother system users.

The Data Set 104 also contains information generated using theAnnotations 108 functionality. Annotations 108 include text-basedcomments, pictures, videos, or other types of digital information thatis added to the Web Site System 100 by various users. A user can addAnnotations 108 into the Web Site System 100 and associate thisinformation with various elements of the Data Set 104. Annotations 108added to the Web Site System 100 may be public or private. Annotationsmay be shared between specific users or with all users of the Web SiteSystem 100.

The Update Engine 105 adds new data elements to the existing Data Set104 through a number of mechanisms including FTP, manual data loads, and“crawling” or “scraping” of related documents and information found onthe Internet 101.

The User Management 106 system provides for the enrollment of varioususers, profile creation, user-specific capabilities, and the managementof various user profiles. User Management 106 provides differentcapabilities for various users of the system including: consumers whomay be interested in buying or selling real estate; real estate agents;associated professionals including appraisers, mortgage lenders, escrowproviders, title insurance providers, property management providers;associates of users, such as consumer friends and family members; andother parties that may be involved in a real estate transaction.Finally, User Management 106 may use a cookie or other signifierspecific to the user within the Local Cache 117 on the User System 102.User-specific data is contained within the Data Set 104 describedpreviously.

The Analytical Engine 112 processes various elements of the Data Set 104to provide derivative calculations, associations, comparisons, orpredictions to users of the system. In addition, the Analytical Engine112 may associate components of the Data Set 104 or User Managementsystem 106 and store these associations in the Web Site System 100. TheAnalytical Engine 112 further associates elements of the Data Set 104 byan address matching mechanism. For example, new property listingsreceived from a multiple listing service (MLS) are associated with theirprior transaction records or legal description in a tax assessordatabase through this mechanism.

The Transaction Engine 111 facilitates negotiations, communication,electronic signing of contracts, payment transfers between users,coordination of ongoing transactions, tracking of work performed byusers of the system, maintaining pricing, and other marketplace-relatedelements of the Web Site System 100. This may also include themanagement and tracking of various referral fees, advertising fees,direct payments, and transaction fees associated with doing businesswithin the Web Site System 100. Upon completion of a transaction in themarketplace, users can provide feedback and ratings about serviceproviders involved with the transaction. The feedback is associated withthe User Profile of the party providing the services via the UserManagement 106 functionality.

Embodiments of the Geographic Information System (GIS) 110 generate adigital map using elements in the Data Set 104, User Management system106, or derivative information processed by the Analytical Engine 112.Users can select which elements of the data set to display on thedigital map. Further, the GIS 110 provides users with navigationcapabilities for moving within the digital map by panning (moving north,east, west, and south) and increasing or decreasing the elevation toadjust the level of detail. The GIS 110 also enables users to selectspecific elements that are shown on the digital map and returnadditional information contained within the Data Set 104, Annotations108, or User Management system 106. The GIS 110 provides for the abilityto separately transfer different types of data elements over theInternet and for the storage of these elements on a User System 102 in aLocal Cache 117. In this manner the GIS 110 references the User System102 prior to requesting any information from the Web Site System 100.For example, non-dynamic raster data such as satellite photography maybe cached locally on the User System 102 while dynamic text or vectorcomponents are sent separately to improve performance. Finally, elementsof the Data Set 104, relationships derived through the Analytical Engine112, and elements of the User Management system 106 can be tied to aspecific geographic location on the map.

The Communications System 113 manages messaging between users, includingsystem messages. Messaging occurs through email and internal messagesthat are visible to users upon signing into the Web Site System 100.

FIG. 3 demonstrates how users of the Web Site System 100 start theirinteraction with the primary Homepage 300. The Homepage may include arandomly selected property offered for sale, other elements of the DataSet, summary data calculated from the Analytical Engine, or a realestate agent profile. The Homepage additionally includes links to othersections of the Web Site System 100 including Search and AnalyticalTools 301, User Management 303, Forums 304, Market Indices 305, andvarious Additional Pages 306. Forums 304 encompass onlinediscussion/chat groups that are generally started and maintained bysystem users, and would for example include agent discussion groups,consumer discussion groups, and other vendor groups. These may beorganized around user type, geographic area, subject of interest, etc.Additional Pages 306 may include information about the company,educational content for consumers, educational content for real estateprofessionals, relevant news articles, and other offerings.

The Search and Analytical Tools 301 provide a single integratedframework for evaluating many aspects of a given real estate market.Users may view properties available for sale and assess these propertieswithin the context of prior sales data derived from the tax assessorsand other data sources, as well as supplemental area-specific data,market data, and aggregated system user data. Finally, system users cancreate Annotations 108 to this data that are then associated with theiruser profile. These annotations can be made public or shared with otherusers based on preferences configured in the User Management system 106.

Tax assessor information may include prior sales data about a property.The prior sales data from the tax assessor information can be used todetermine an appropriate sales price for a property. One way to price ahouse is by determining an average difference between sales price andprior sales data of nearby homes that have been sold recently. Bydetermining the average differences between tax assessor's data andactual sales price of other homes, the system can estimate a salesprice. As a simple example, assume house A was recently sold for$150,000 and house B was sold for $140,000. Further, the prior salesdata from the tax assessor indicates that house A last sold for $100,000dollars and house B also sold for $100,000. Therefore the averagedifference between the most recent sales price and the prior sales priceis (((150,000−100,000)+(140,000−100,000))/(100,000+100,000))×100%=45%.Thus, a sales price for house C can be calculated by multiplying itsprior sales price by 145%. Of course, the system can use other variablessuch as the length of time since the last sale, school districts,similarities/differences between the properties, etc., to refine thistechnique. Similarly, the system can aggregate many of these salesestimations and calculations to arrive at an “index” for housing priceswithin a region selected by the user (typically the region shown in theaerial map). In some instances, the index can be visually presented tothe user by color coding an overlay on the satellite image (e.g., redfor “hot” areas where the price is increasing, blue for “cool” areaswhere the price is falling, etc.).

The Search and Analytical Tools 301 also provide an open framework thatallows consumers, real estate agents, and associated professionals tosearch other user profiles, take actions based on those search results,and eventually engage in electronic commerce using capabilitiescontained within the Transaction Engine 11.

User Management 303 allows system users to create and manage accountswithin the system, create and manage detailed profiles for publicationin the Marketplace 302. Additional features (described in greater detailbelow) specific to the type of user further facilitate communication andcollaboration.

Forums 304 functionality allows users to share experiences and insights,query other users, comment on elements of the various data sets, andimprove the value of their shared knowledge. System users may postpublic comments regarding various elements of the data set includingdescriptions of various specific neighborhoods, analysis of specificproperties for sale, descriptions of the real estate process, and otherrelevant information. Real estate agents and other associatedprofessionals can contribute to the Forums 304 to further increase theircredibility within the Web Site System 100, providing consumers withobjective examples of their working knowledge.

FIG. 4 describes how users of the Web Site System 100 can access theUser Management 303 functions of the web site to create a new accountwith New User Registration 400 or sign into an existing account throughthe User Login 401. Although the Web Site System 100 provides differentcapabilities to different types of users, users may sign in using thesame User Login 401 system.

New User Registration 400 is not required to access basic capabilitiesfound within the Search and Analytical Tools 301, Marketplace 302,Forums 304, Market Indices 305 or any Additional Pages 306. The New UserRegistration 400 process allows the user to create a username andpassword, to provide a valid email account, and to select a user typecorresponding to each of the user roles including consumer, agent, orassociated professional. Depending on the user type and the level ofsystem access desired, registration may have the user provide additionalinformation such as name, address, contact information, etc. This mayemploy validation by the Web Site System 100 using information containedwithin the Data Set 104, the Transaction Engine 111, or external meanssuch as credit card authentication. Once a user has successfullyregistered, a user profile is created within the User Management system106.

FIG. 5 describes the various components associated with a User Login401. Upon signing in, users view a system display that is customized totheir user type, system access level, transaction activity, and userpreferences.

Manage Account 501 enables users to view and edit information aboutthemselves. This includes contact information, account information, andthe user profile. The profile describes the user, his or her objectives,and any other information that may be relevant to other users. Ingeneral, the profile will include different types of information fordifferent user types. For example, consumer profiles may indicate thetype of services desired, the criteria that a consumer seeks for aproperty, and so on. Agent profiles may include the agent's experience,areas served, languages spoken, specialties, services offered, paymentterms, and so on. Manage Account 501 functionality also allows users toconfigure account preferences that help customize various aspects of theWeb Site System 100 to their needs. For example, users may wish topublish various aspects of their profile into the Marketplace 302 forviewing by other users.

Manage Favorites 502 encompasses properties, searches, users, or otherelements of the data set that users wish to save, flag, or otherwiseassociate with their account in order to increase the usability of theWeb Site System 100. For properties, users may wish to create folderscontaining properties of interest, rejects, a “watch list”, suggestedproperties from other users, etc. Users may also wish to save or flagother users, if for instance a consumer maintains a folder of potentialagent vendors. Users may also wish to save searches, such as a searchfor properties meeting certain criteria or for consumers that seekcertain services (e.g., home buyers looking for a home inspector, realestate agent with knowledge of a certain area, etc.).

Users may optionally use the Web Site System 100 to automatically runsaved searches and communicate the results via email or an internalsystem message. Alerts and Reports 503 functionality enables users toconfigure the frequency and mechanism of these updates, which are thencommunicated to the user and displayed Communications 504. Alerts andReports 503 may also be configured to allow users to regularly viewreports pertaining to market data, changes in status for certainproperties, and other changes to various aspects of system and userdata.

Communications 504 allows users to see messages distributed by theCommunications System 113, and to initiate or request communicationswith other users. This functionality can encompass communications withagents or vendors regarding active transactions.

Network Management 505 allows users to form associations with otherusers and to define the rules of these associations. For example,consumers may wish to allow friends or family members to view theproperties that they are interested in, to annotate those properties,and/or to add properties to a folder for the consumer's consideration.Consumers may also wish to associate an agent or other vendor with theiraccount to facilitate collaboration and communication. Agents and othervendors may also wish to associate themselves with consumers, otheragents, or other vendors to facilitate various aspects of conductingbusiness on the Web Site System 100. Network Management 503 enablesusers to optionally publish these associations so that they are visibleto other users. For example, an agent and various other vendors may wishto form a network or “team” and provide consumer visibility into theteam member associations, to highlight their collective capabilities.

FIG. 6 describes the Search and Analytical Tools 301. Users may conducta For Sale Search 600, a Prior Sales Search 601, an Entity Search 602,or an Event Search 603. Users may additionally use the Map Interface 604to search and explore a geographic area, and may view Analytical Reports605 that display information relative to the real estate market. Forexample, an analytical report may contain an analysis of real estatetrends in a particular geographic region or neighborhood.

A For Sale Search 600 allows users to view all properties within theData Set 64 that meet certain criteria. Typical criteria would includeprice, size, location, quantity of various types of rooms, and otherattributes commonly of interest in the home buying or selling process.

A Prior Sales Search 601 allows users to view historical salesinformation that meets certain criteria. Typical criteria would includelocation, price, date, property size, and other attributes relevant to aproperty sale.

An Entity Search 602 allows users to view entities that meet certaincriteria. Entities could refer to any System User; to any business, suchas banks, hotels, restaurants, and the like; to any individual, e.g.,for the purposes of viewing public tax records; to parks, schools, buslines, train stations, and the like; or any other data element that maypertain to an assessment of either the real estate market or a givenproperty. According to user discretion, an Entity Search 602 may berestricted to the Data Set 104; it may encompass data from onlinesources accessible via the Internet; and it may encompass data local tothe User Systems 102. Entity data typically includes geospatial (i.e.,location) information, but may not, as in the case of anonymous systemusers.

The criteria used for an Entity Search 602 may vary according to entitytype. Thus, a search for a real estate agent would involve criteria suchas customer ratings, number of transactions, type of services provided,areas of specialization, geographic location, languages spoken, and thelike. A search for schools might employ criteria such as location, size,grade levels, student/teacher ratios, standardized test score averages,etc.

An Event Search 603 allows users to view events that meet certaincriteria. Events could include real estate open houses, scheduledproperty showings, scheduled user auctions, or other data with atemporal component. According to user discretion, an Event Search 603may be restricted to the Data Set 104; it may encompass data from onlinesources accessible via the Internet, for instance to display busschedules or movie show times; and it may encompass data local to theUser Systems 102, e.g., scheduled appointments.

Search Results 606 matching the Search Criteria 619 are returned to theUser System 102 for display. Users may optionally select to view theResults 606 either as text, a combination of text and graphics, or ingraphical form on a map displayed to the user via the Map Interface 604.Results 606 need not be restricted to the Results of user-generatedqueries; for example, if a user configured a search to runautomatically, this result set could also appear in Results 606.

The Map Interface 604 provides a graphical, map-based framework forviewing, exploring, and analyzing a broad array of data relevant to thereal estate market and transaction process. Users of the Map Interface604 can select between alternate “base map” layers: e.g., raster-basedaerial imagery (such as satellite photos or photos taken fromairplanes), or street maps (either raster- or vector-based). Users oftenselect one “base map” layer but may choose to overlay, e.g., a streetmap layer onto a satellite imagery layer.

Users may modify the map in various ways to meet their individual needs.In particular, users may toggle the presence of various Data Layers 608.Valid layers include, but are not limited to, any data type that is asearch Result 606 and that possesses geospatial information. Examples ofdata layers include properties for sale, parks, schools, outlines ofproperty tax parcels, neighborhoods, school districts, congressionaldistricts, census areas, bus lines, trains, retail establishments, realestate agent offices, hospitals, zoning maps, and the like.

Valid data layers may also include data from the Analytical Engine 612.Examples include neighborhood appreciation trends, area-based marketactivity, and the like.

Users may then View Data on the Map 610. Data sets may be displayedthrough a variety of means. Data that can be linked to a specificproperty (e.g., property data or entity data containing an address, suchas a real estate office or hospital) may be represented with either agraphical icon in the correct location or by graphically outlining orillustrating the land parcel corresponding to the given property.Temporal data such as historical property sales may be displayed in thismanner, or using an animated interface that updates the map according toa visible progression through time. For example, home sales trends canbe visually communicated by overlaying a three color layer on the basemap, where “blue” is overlaid on areas where home sales are slow (i.e.,cool), yellow is overlaid on areas where home sales are average, and redis overlaid on areas where home sales are “hot”. By use of the overlay,the user can quickly see which areas or properties have historicallybeen most desirable to other home buyers.

Users may then Navigate 611 in the Map Interface. Navigation includespan/zoom functionality, so that the user can select the area andresolution (i.e., viewing area) of interest. The resolution of the mapinterface corresponds to an elevation above the map. A low elevation isassociated with high resolution (i.e., zooming in), which shows asmaller geographic area. A high elevation is associated with a lowresolution (i.e., zooming out) and shows a larger geographic area. Inother words, the elevation associated with a particular map view is high(e.g., as if in an airplane) if the map shows a large area and lower(e.g., as if in a tall building) if the map shows a small area.

Users may also Select Data Elements 612. In general, any data layer maybe user-selectable. Upon selection of a data element, the Search andAnalytical Tool 301 then displays the Element Details 613.

The Element Details consist of additional data relevant to auser-selected data element. In general, the Element Details function issimilar for Results selected from the map and Results selected from atext- or text-and-graphics-based display. Data presented in ElementDetails may be restricted to the Data Set 104; it may encompass datafrom online sources accessible via the Internet, as well as links tothat data; and it may encompass data local to the User Systems 102.Examples of Element Details include information about properties forsale, such as the house price, photographs, description of the property,the number of various types of rooms, etc.; school information; parkinformation; real estate agent details, etc.

Upon viewing Element Details, users may take several actions. First,they may choose to add the data element to their Favorites 614, if forexample the data element is a property that they wish to flag in afolder (examples include “interested”, “reject”, etc). Favorites couldalso apply to real estate agents, consumers, schools, and any other dataelements. Second, users may wish to Add Comments 615 to a data element,and to determine which other users may view these comments. Third, usersmay wish to perform additional Analytics 616 on the given data element.This may result in an additional search (e.g., “find nearest 10historical sales within the last 3 months”) or may simply representadditional analysis (e.g., “evaluate whether this property is over- orunder-valued relative to other available properties”). Fourth, users mayTransact 617 against the given data element. They may wish to schedule avisit to a property; to contact an agent to request additionalinformation or a bid for services; etc. Fifth, users may wish to Share618 the data element with other users or other non-member entities; thisis typically achieved by embedding a link to the data element details orsearch results inside an email. Sixth, for agent or other entity dataelements, users may wish to Communicate 620 with the individual ororganization involved, generally via email. Lastly, users may choose toignore the data element, and resume searching via any steps in FIG. 6.

Search and Analytical Tools 301 also provides the ability to save usersearches. After entering any Search Criteria 619, users may save thesecriteria using Favorites 614, may then configure the Web Site System 100to automatically run these searches as described previously.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example consumer progression through and usage ofthe Web Site System 100. Consumers visiting the web site 700 may: searchfor and view available properties; view historical sales; search fornon-agent vendors such as lenders; email property listings to friends;sign up to receive emails describing market activity, market news, orother relevant information; view chat groups and forums, as well asother informational content; and tour the advanced capabilities of theWeb Site System, such as agent search, collaborative tools, etc.

Consumers may register 701 by providing an email address and creating ausername and password. Registration provides access to advanced systemfeatures 702 and enables consumers to customize their experience on theWeb Site System 100. In particular, registration may allow consumers to:save properties to user folders (“interested”, “reject”, “watch”, etc);save searches, and configure automatic email notifications for searchresults and market activity updates; share aspects of their Favorites(user folders and/or searches) with friends, family members, andcolleagues; and participate in chat groups. Registered consumers may bepresented with a web page or other User System 102 display that istailored to the consumer display preferences, etc.

Registered consumers may wish to search for a real estate agent toassist with a transaction. In some embodiments of the system, consumersmust validate their identity 703 by providing full contact information(name, address, phone, etc). As part of validation, consumers may alsoagree to pay a referral fee to the operator of the Web Site System 100if the consumer employs a real estate agent using the Web. Site System100. Alternatively, the real estate agent may agree to pay a referralfee to the operator of the Web Site System 100 for new clients obtainedthrough the Web Site System 100.

In the embodiment shown, validated consumers 704 can find and select anagent in two ways. First, the consumer can conduct an Entity Search 602to look for a suitable real estate agent. Consumers may use theFavorites 502 functionality to maintain folders of agents 614; maycreate comments describing a given agent 615; may employ systemanalytical tools 616 to help evaluate a given agent; may shareinformation about a given agent or agents with other users 618; andlastly, may use Transaction 617 functionality to contact an agent, tosolicit bids from an agent, etc.

The second way of finding and selecting an agent is to solicit contactfrom real estate agents. In some embodiments, this solicitation can bedone by modifying the consumer's user profile to show that the consumerdesires to be contacted by a real estate agent. Validated consumers 704may also wish to allow agents to contact them. If so, the consumers canmodify their user profile to allow any agent meeting certain criteria tocontact them during a specified time period; alternatively, consumersmay want to schedule a visit to a property and can request thatavailable agents contact them to arrange a showing, etc. If the consumerwants to ensure that only agents with experience in a certain geographicarea answer the solicitation, the system can filter the responses. Oneway of filtering is to compare the transaction history of the realestate agent to the geographic area before allowing the agent to contactthe consumer.

Validated consumers 704 have several options for negotiating the priceof real estate services. This negotiation may be implicit in the agentselection process, if for instance the consumer only searches for agentsmatching a particular compensation profile. Alternatively, consumers maysolicit competitive bids from a number of agents in a manner similar tothat used for other home contractors. Finally, consumers may create anauction-style bidding process, in which agents compete to win theconsumer's business. The auction participants can be chosen in severalways, such as: the consumer can invite preferred agents to participate;the consumer can allow any agents matching a desired profile toparticipate; or the consumer can allow any member agent to participate.

Once a validated consumer has selected an agent to work with 705, thatagent is associated with the consumer's account. The consumer and agentmay then use various system tools 706 to facilitate collaborationthroughout the transaction process. First, they may share accountaccess, so that the agent can place listing information in a “suggested”folder for the consumer to review, and can view and comment onproperties in the consumer's “Favorites” folder. Second, they may sharean activity log that allows both to record and view transaction activityand status. Third, they may jointly view and discuss demand indicatorsfor specific properties; buyers may also wish to write and share reviewswith their agent, while sellers may wish to review showing feedback(i.e., comments from buyers and agents who have toured the seller'sproperty), etc. Fourth, the consumer may wish to view and interact withthe agent's network of other vendors for various related products andservices. Lastly, they may communicate via system messaging capabilitiesabout scheduling for property showing, other appointments,bids/offers/counteroffers, and any other matter related to thetransaction, the market, etc.

Following the conclusion of a transaction (or following the cessation ofthe relationship between consumer and agent), the consumer may submit areview 707 of the agent for the benefit of other system users.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example progression of agent usage of the Web SiteSystem 100 according to one embodiment. Agents visiting the web site 800may: search for and view available properties; view historical sales;search for non-agent vendors such as lenders; email property listings tofriends; sign up to receive emails describing market activity, marketnews, or other relevant information; view chat groups and forums, aswell as other informational content; and tour the advanced capabilitiesof the Web Site System, such as agent search, agent signup,collaborative tools, etc.

In the embodiment shown, agents may register 801 by providing an emailaddress, creating a username and password, and providing full contactinformation (name, address, phone, etc.) as well as a valid real estateagent identification number (e.g., real estate license number).

Agent registration can provide access to advanced system features 802and enable agents to customize their experience on the Web Site System.In particular, registration can allow agents to 802: create and edit anagent profile that consumers can query against; edit system preferences;create and add to an online network of other users, including vendors;save properties to user folders, save searches, and configure automaticemail notifications for search results and market activity updates; andparticipate in chat groups.

Registered agents may be presented with a web page that is tailored tothe agent display preferences, etc. The primary agent sign-in display802 typically includes a summary of activity in ongoing customertransactions 803, activity related to prospective customers 804, andsystem messages 805 indicating that a customer has requested contactfrom agents that match the given agent's profile.

The summary of ongoing customer transactions 803 typically displays alist of the agent's active customers, what transaction types they areengaged in (buying, selling, or both), and any updated activity sincethe agent's last logon. The agent may then drill down into furtherdetail on any customer 806 and may use several collaborative tools.

Through shared account access, the agent may access the customer'sFavorites 502 information to view, comment, on, and add to the list ofproperties that the customer has marked as relevant to their purchase orsale transaction. The agent can for example put new property listingsinto a “suggested” folder for the customer to consider, or can commenton properties in customer folders. The agent can also annotate propertylistings in a customer “watch list,” to help buyers and sellers trackmarket activity in their area.

Additional collaborative tools include: a shared activity log thatallows agents to record various activities and tasks related to thetransaction, as well as to record events such as offers, counteroffers,etc; a scheduling interface that allows the agent to work with consumersonline to schedule showings and other appointments; a showings tool thatallows agents to collect showing feedback from other agents and todisplay this to property sellers; and the ability for agents to shareand promote their personal network of vendors and vendors to theircustomers.

Upon completion of a transaction, the agent may view 807 the customerreview of the agent completed in 707.

The prospective customer summary 804 allows the agent to see a summaryof inquiries and other communications from prospective customers. Theagent may also see summary information regarding system messages 805indicating that a customer has requested contact from agents that matchthe given agent's profile. In both cases the agent may use system tools808 to help promote themselves to prospective customers. The agent cancompose personalized responses to prospective customer inquiries; viewdetailed system information about prospective customers including siteusage, customer Favorites information, the customer profile, etc; andsubmit proposals/bids and conduct negotiations with prospectivecustomers online.

If the agent secures a new customer, they may associate the consumerwith their account 705 and will then work with the consumer using theprocess and tools described in 803, 806, and 807. If the agent does notsecure a new customer, they may review certain aspects of their profilein comparison to other agent profiles to help assess how to marketthemselves to consumers.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example progression of vendor usage of the WebSite System 100 under one embodiment. Vendors visiting the web site 900may: search for and view available properties; view historical sales;search for non-agent vendors such as lenders; email property listings tofriends; sign up to receive emails describing market activity, marketnews, or other relevant information; view chat groups and forums, aswell as other informational content; and tour the advanced capabilitiesof the Web Site System, such as agent search, agent signup,collaborative tools, etc.

Vendors can register 901 by providing an email address, creating ausername and password, and providing full contact information (name,address, phone, etc.) as well as indicating the type of products and/orservices they offer.

Vendor registration provides access to advanced system features 902 andenables vendors to customize their experience on the Web Site System100. In particular, registration allows vendors to 902: create and edita vendor profile that consumers can query against; edit systempreferences; create and add to an online network of other users,including agents and other vendors; save entities, events, and searchesusing Favorites; configure automatic email notifications for searchresults and market activity updates; and participate in chat groups.

Registered vendors may be presented with a web page that is tailored tothe vendor display preferences. A typical vendor sign-in (i.e., home webpage) display 902 includes a summary of activity in ongoing customertransactions 903, activity related to prospective customers 904, andsystem messages 905 indicating that a customer has requested contactfrom vendors that match the given vendor's profile.

The summary of ongoing customer transactions 904 typically displays alist of the vendor's active customers, what transaction types they areengaged in, and any updated activity since the vendor's last logon. Thevendor may then drill down into further detail on any customer 906 andmay use several collaborative tools.

Additional collaborative tools include: a shared activity log thatallows vendors to record various activities and tasks related to thetransaction, as well as to record events such as mortgage approval; ascheduling interface that allows the vendor to work with consumersonline to schedule meetings and appointments; and the ability forvendors to share and promote their personal network of agents and othervendors to their customers.

Upon completion of a transaction, the vendor may view 907 the customerreview of the vendor completed in 707.

The prospective customer summary 904 allows the vendor to see a summaryof inquiries and other communications from prospective customers. Thevendor may also see summary information regarding system messages 905indicating that a customer has requested contact from vendors that matchthe given vendor's profile. In both cases the vendor may use systemtools 908 to help promote themselves to prospective customers. Thevendor can compose personalized responses to prospective customerinquiries; view detailed system information about prospective customersincluding site usage, customer profile, etc; and submit proposals/bidsand conduct negotiations with prospective customers online.

If the vendor secures a new customer, they may associate the consumerwith their account 705 and will then work with the consumer using theprocess and tools described in 903, 906, and 907. If the vendor does notsecure a new customer, they may review certain aspects of their profilein comparison to other vendor profiles to help assess how to marketthemselves to consumers.

FIGS. 10 through 15 illustrate an embodiment of the search/GIS tools.FIG. 10 shows a high-level view of a geographic area, assembled fromsatellite images. System toolbars indicate the ability to defineproperty search criteria, as well as to toggle the presence of variousrelevant data layers.

FIG. 11 illustrates a display of a given search result set. The systemoutlines parcels of available properties on the map. Users may thenclick on a given parcel, at which point the system displays the detailedlisting information for the given property, as illustrated in FIG. 12.

Users may wish to view tax and historical transaction information for agiven property; the system provides this capability, as depicted in FIG.13. The display can include current tax assessor information as well ashistorical sales records.

Users may also wish to view historical sales records for propertiesproximal to the property in question. FIG. 14 illustrates thiscapability. The user selects the number of properties to return and thetime period of interest, and the system outlines the resulting parcelson the map using a different color. Users may then click on any one ofthese parcels to view tax assessed values and historical sales data.

Lastly, users may wish to view tax assessed values and historical salesdata for any arbitrary property. This is illustrated in FIG. 15. Theuser selects the “all parcels” data layer, at which point every propertyparcel is outlined and becomes user-selectable.

Aspects of the invention described above may be stored or distributed oncomputer-readable media, including magnetic and optically readable andremovable computer discs, as well as distributed electronically over theInternet or over other networks (including wireless networks). Thoseskilled in the relevant art will recognize that portions or embodimentsof the invention may also reside in a fixed element of a communicationnetwork such as a server or database, while corresponding portions mayreside on a mobile communication device, such as a laptop computer,Personal Digital Assistant (“PDA”), or mobile phone. Data structures andtransmission of data particular to aspects of the invention are alsoencompassed within the scope of the invention.

In accordance with the practices of persons skilled in the art ofcomputer programming, embodiments of the invention are described withreference to acts and operations that are performed by computer systems.Such computer-executed acts and operations may be performed by anoperating system or an application program. The acts and operationsinclude the manipulation by the CPU of electrical signals representingdata bits and the maintenance of data bits at memory locations tooperate the computer systems and process signals. The memory locationswhere data bits are maintained are physical locations that haveparticular electrical, magnetic, or optical properties corresponding tothe data bits.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or pluralnumber also include the plural or singular number respectively.Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similarimport, when used in this application, shall refer to this applicationas a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Whenthe claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or moreitems, that word covers all of the following interpretations of theword: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and anycombination of the items in the list.

The above detailed descriptions of embodiments of the invention are notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, theinvention are described above for illustrative purposes, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention,as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. For example, whilesteps are presented in a given order, alternative embodiments mayperform routines having steps in a different order. The teachings of theinvention provided herein can be applied to other systems, notnecessarily the embodiments described herein. These and other changescan be made to the invention in light of the detailed description.

These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of theabove detailed description. In general, the terms used in the followingclaims should not be construed to be limited to the specific embodimentsdisclosed in the specification, unless the above detailed descriptionexplicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of theinvention encompasses the disclosed embodiments and all equivalent waysof practicing or implementing the invention under the claims.

In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of thisinvention may be applied, it should be recognized that the detailedembodiments are illustrative only and should not be taken as limitingthe scope of the invention. Thus, we claim as our invention all suchembodiments as may come within the scope and spirit of the followingclaims and equivalents thereto.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A method performed by acomputer system communicating with at least one client computer across anetwork, the method comprising: creating a database of informationrelated to at least one real estate property, the database created fromselectively aggregating information from multiple sources, including atleast a satellite map image of the geographic region from a satellitemap, and real estate data for the at least one real estate property;providing data displayable as a client interface to the client computeracross a network; receiving from the client computer a request formapped display data including the real estate data overlaid on thesatellite map image of the at least one real estate property; creatingthe mapped display data by visually defining the at least one realestate property on the satellite map image and layering the real estatedata thereupon; sending the mapped display data to the client interfacerequesting the mapped display; sending data displayable to the clientcomputer on the client interface, the data displayable on the clientinterface being interactive to initiate one or more specifictransactions related to the at least one real estate property; receivingfrom the client interface a request to be provided a physical tour ofthe at least one real estate property; enabling a real estate agent torespond to the request to provide the physical tour based at least on acomparison of a transaction history of the real estate agent to thegeographic area of the at least one real estate property; and storinginformation associated with the request.
 2. The method of claim 1,further comprising receiving a request, via the client interface toinitiate at least one of a purchase, sale, or negotiation inquiry forthe at least one real estate property.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: associating the real estate agent with the request; andpermitting the real estate agent to access the stored information forthe one or more specific transactions.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising providing data displayable as a log-in interface to theclient interface.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receivinga request via the interface to initiate a purchase of the at least onereal estate property.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the real estatedata comprises multiple listing service information corresponding to theat least one real estate property.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising effecting the request to be provided a physical tour of theat least one real estate property.
 8. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising sending data displayable as a ratings interface to the clientinterface that is interactive to input ratings for the one or morespecific tranactions.
 9. A system comprising: one or more processors;memory; and one or more software modules stored on the memory andexecutable by the one or more processors to: provide data displayable asa client interface to a client computer across the network; create adata set of information related to at least one real estate property byselectively aggregating information from multiple sources, including atleast a satellite map image of the at least one real estate property andreal estate data for the at least one real estate property; selectivelyupdate the data set as new data is added to the multiple sources; createa mapped display data by visually defining the at least one real estateproperty on the satellite map image and layering the real estate dataover the at least one visually defined real estate property; and senddata displayable on an interface on the client computer, the interfaceinteractive to initiate one or more specific transactions related to theat least one real estate property, including to be provided with aphysical tour of the at least one real estate property; identify a userassociated with the client computer and store information associatedwith the request to initiate the one or more specific transactions,compare transaction histories of a plurality of real estate agents to areal estate market of the at least one real estate property, and enablea particular real estate agent of the plurality of real estate agents tocontact the user to provide the physical tour of the at least one realestate property based at least on determining, from the comparing thetransaction histories to the real estate market, that one or moretransactions in the particular real estate agent's transaction historyare in the real estate market.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein theone or more software modules stored on the memory are further executableby the one or more processors to send data displayable as a ratingsinterface to the client computer, the ratings interface interactive toinput ratings for the one or more specific transactions.
 11. The systemof claim 9, wherein the one or more software modules stored on thememory are further executable by the one or more processors to create anaccount for the user.
 12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or moresoftware modules stored on the memory are further executable by the oneor more processors to send a scheduling interface to the clientcomputer, the scheduling interface interactive to schedule real estaterelated activities.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the accountcomprises a watch list for tracking real estate market activity in ageographic region and an index for tracking property value trends in thegeographic region.
 14. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or moresoftware modules stored on the memory are further executable by the oneor more processors to send a showing tool to the client computer, theshowing tool interactive to collect feedback from real estate propertyshowings.
 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more softwaremodules stored on the memory are further executable by the one or moreprocessors to enable display, on the client computer, of a folder,associated with the account, the folder including information related toreal estate properties suggested to the user by the particular realestate agent.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein the account comprisesinformation identifying service providers associated with one or more ofthe plurality of real estate agents.
 17. The system of claim 9, whereinthe one or more specific transactions related to the at least one realestate property include at least one of a purchase, sale, or negotiationinquiry.
 18. The system of claim 9, wherein the transaction enginefurther effects the initiated one or more specific transactions for theat least one real estate property.
 19. A computing system communicatingwith at least one client computer across a network, the computing systemcomprising: means for providing data displayable as a client interfaceto the at least one client computer across the network; means forstoring a data set of information related to at least one real estateproperty, the data set created from selectively aggregating informationfrom multiple sources, including at least a satellite map image of theat least one real estate property and real estate data for the at leastone real estate property; means for updating the data set as new data isadded to the multiple sources; means for creating mapped display data byvisually defining the at least one real estate property on the satellitemap image and layering the real estate data over the visually defined atleast one real estate property; means for facilitating a requestedtransaction received from the client computer, the transaction relatedto the at least one real estate property; means for sending to theclient computer data displayable on the client computer as an interfacethe data being interactive to initiate one or more specific transactionsrelated to the at least one real estate property; means for receiving,from the client computer, a request to be contacted by a real estateagent to provide a tour of the at least one real estate property; meansfor enabling a particular real estate agent to contact a user associatedwith the client computer, the enabling based at least on matching atransaction history of the particular real estate agent to a geographicarea of the at least one real estate property; and means for receiving,from the the client computer, a request to initiate a specifictransaction related to the at least one real estate property, whereinthe means for facilitating the requested transaction further identifiesthe user and stores information associated with the requestedtransaction.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means forfacilitating the requested transaction further effects the requestedtransaction.